Marans with a learning disability!

[Chickenbrain2009]

My Marans are 16 weeks old now. For weeks I have had to put them to bed at night because they havent learnt to climb the little ladder! I got so fed up I decided I wasnt going to do it anymore, so for the next fortnight they just slept under the coop! :roll:
They need to climb the little ladder so they get some shelter in winter/are protected from the fox (they are enclosed but nevertheless....) PLUS they need to learn to go up there so they can learn to lay their eggs. I am not getting any younger and I cant always get underneath its in a very difficult position. I have informed them they they need to go to bed properly at night but they aren't listening.

I have even tried putting food on the little ladder, but all they do is eat the food!

Any suggestions? They know how to come down 06 They appear inordinately stupid, even by chicken standards!

Pam

 

[daniellesdogs]

iv 3 little roosters and 3 pekins that no matter what i do they get in the house to sleep. i pick them up every night and put them in the shed but fighting 6 of them is tireing. if i block the cat flap they cuddle up outside door
i put it down to being spoilt

 

[Derculees]

Hi CB2009, I noticed you mentioned 'little ladder' a couple of times. I've got one of those 'Cocoon' coops
and had to modify the ladder by screwing sawn off branches, about 40mm diam. to every other rung
as my pol Marans were struggling to climb it, I then did the same as you and made a trail of mixed corn up it which worked ok - for me.

 

[Chickenbrain2009]

Hmm, that sounds sensible, how the hell I am supposed to get in there and screw branches om I dont know but I will think about it

 

[Tim]

Am I really the only one that has voted so far :lol:

I think they will get the hang of it eventually. All of my birds will go up a ramp to one of my coops that's fairly high up and they all got the hang of it eventually.

 

[Chickenbrain2009]

I put a brick under the little ladder to make is less steep, although God knows why because I have a much steeper ladder on my Forsham Arc. I went out tonight and they were still sitting on the bloody ground! Thick as two short planks............

 

[Chickenbrain2009]

OK, they can definitely climb the little ladder because I saw one go up there today to get some food and then come down again. Perhaps I should block off where they usually sleep, they are there again tonight!

 

[Chickenbrain2009]

They have done it! What I did tonight was block off where they normally sleep with chicken wire. I assume that if I keep it there for a few weeks they will eventually learn to always go upstairs at night?
They should start laying soon, I was getting desperate!

 

[tygrysek75]

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